STOCKTON - When Melissa Flores posts a photo on Facebook of a mannequin dressed in the latest trends, it doesn't take long before someone responds.

"They'll comment, 'Save that top for me,' " Flores said. And so she does, ready for that customer to stop by after work.

Flores, owner of Remedy, a clothing store in Lincoln Center, has found that using social media to notify her customers of new merchandise has proved an effective marketing tool.

Local shops have discovered that, in 2014, they face the challenge of competing with corporate retailers, as well as the growth in online shopping.

But the solution to thriving has not been to imitate or match prices, some local retailers reported.

They have found that by getting creative and emphasizing what sets them apart, they attract faithful customers.

"I'm really big on using Facebook and Instagram," said 32-year-old Flores, whose passion for style led her to earn a bachelor's degree in apparel marketing and design and eventually open her own boutique.

Flores said social media has allowed her to maintain a steady connection to her customers. She styles her mannequins, publishes the photos, and her online followers - they can be at work, at church or at home - get that alert on their phone.

"People don't go anywhere without their phone," she said. And before she knows it, she is holding that outfit for someone. "People really love it," she said.

Jeffrey Michael, director of the Business Forecasting Center at the University of the Pacific, said the retail industry historically has seen only little growth and decline fluctuations.

Recent local employment numbers coincide with that flat line he describes. The number of jobs in retail has remained around 25,000 for San Joaquin County for the past 10 to 15 years.

"When you look at commercial space, there is definitely stronger growth in hospitality and restaurants than there is in retail," Michael said. "People just haven't figured out how to get a hamburger online yet."

Where Michael does see change is in the structure of the industry - how merchandise is supplied.

Traditional retailers, large and small, are continuing to face intense competition from online retailers, he said. Consumers find convenience and access to more selection online.

Local mom and pop retailers additionally have to contend with larger retailers that often have a leg up on lower prices and mass merchandise.

"For us small people it's competing with the big guys," said Mohammadkhan, owner of Stockton Supplies, which sells food service, janitorial and party supplies and party rentals. "What we do is we offer customer service that the big box stores can't give."

While the larger chain stores out-price him at times, Mohammadkhan said, he carries a wider variety of products, styles and colors. And he goes out of his way to make customers happy.

"We cater to people who want what they want. They need it today, they grab it here today," he said.

"We also deliver. (Large stores) don't deliver supplies."

So, while it's clear statistically that growth remains stagnant in the retail arena, merchants also are aware it is an evolving industry.

The question for them has been how to respond proactively and be unique in order to stay profitable.

"The world is changing," said Flores, who found that using social media is to her advantage. "You have to embrace it."

Contact reporter Jennie Rodriguez-Moore at (209) 943-8564 or jrodriguez@recordnet.com. Follow her at recordnet.com/courtsblog and on Twitter @therecordcourts.